Ball confining club for croquet



Oct. 27, 1953 J, SORTEBERG BALL CONFINING CLUB FOR CROQUET Filed Jan.51, 1952 Patented Oct. 27,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALL CONFINING CLUB Fon CROQUET JohannesSortebergg, Bath, Pa. Application January 31, 1952-, swarm. zsazzs 3Claims.

The object of this invention is to devise a novel croquet game whereinthe component parts are of novel construction.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel construction of adevice for confining and retaining a players ball when it is to bestruck by a mallet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thedetailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of it which I have found inpractice to give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, tobe understood that the various instrumentalities of which the inventionconsists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention isnot limited to the exact arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a croquet game embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a ball positioning and confining device.

Figure 3 is a section on line A-A of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial elevation of another embodiment of the inventionshowing a positioning and ball confining device.

Figure 5 is a section on line B-B of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a wicket cluster or unit.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a stake.

Figure 8 is a sectional view through the bottom part of a stake.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Any desired number of wickets I can be employed and these wickets areconnected by bars 2 to form a unit or cluster of wickets. As shown, thebars are connected to sides of the wickets and form a channel throughwhicha playing ball may pass.

The stakes have a bell 3 and an upwardly extending post 4 and their base5 is preferably weighted. A stud 6 and a spacer l secures the parts inassembled condition.

In Figures 2 and 3, I have shown more in detail a device for rolling aplayer's ball into playing position and for confining and retaining theball in a desired position when it is to be struck by a mallet. Thisdevice has a handle 8 connected at its lower end with a head 9 which isbifurcated as at It), the bifurcations being elongated in an axialdirection and transversely cage for a ball [3.

curved at their inner faces to form a cage for loosely confining theball. The side openings between the birfurcations are smaller than thediameter of the ball in order that the ball will be retained when struckby a mallet. The device slips freely over a ball and when withdrawn theball will remain on the playing surface. In striking position, thedevice is pressed firmly against the playing surface.

In the embodiment seen in Figures 4 and 5, I have shown another form ofball confining and positioning device wherein a head ll connected with asuitable handle has spaced prongs I12 elongated in an axial direction toform a loose fitting When the device is pressed against a playingsurface, the ball confined therein will be retained in the struckposition when the ball is hit by a mallet IA. The playing surface isshown at l5 and may be a rug or carpet or other type of playing surface.

In the playing of a game, the parts are assembled as shown in Figure 1.For playing indoors in the average size room, the playing balls must besmaller than those used out of doors. This makes it impractical for aplayer to hold his ball in fixed position with his foot when he desiresto croquet his opponents ball. By using the novel ball confiner andpositioner as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the ball can be fixedin the desired position to be struck by a mallet, and will remain in aconfined position within the cage after being struck, and on removal ofthe cage will be left on the playing surface.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Paten is:

1. A device for use in the playing of the game of croquet, said devicecomprising a handle having a head at one end with substantially parallelspaced members elongated in the axial direction of the handle andforming a cage for loosely confining a croquet ball, said device havingan opening on each side between the spaced members of such size as topermit the encaged ball to make contact with another ball and permitpassage of a mallet head to strike the encaged ball, and being adaptedto be slipped over the ball for loosely confining the ball while theball is struck with a mallet.

2. A device for use in the playing of the game of croquet, said devicecomprising a handle having a bifurcated head at one end, thebifurcations being elongated in the axial direction of the handle andtransversely curved, said bifurcations forming a cage for looselyconfining a croquet ball, said device having an opening on each sidebetween the bifurcations of such size as to permit the encaged ball tomake contact with another ball and permit passage of a mallet head tostrike the encaged ball, and being adapted to be slipped over the ballfor loosely confining the ball while the ball is struck with a mallet.

3. A device for use in the playing of the game of croquet, said devicecomprising a handle having a pronged head at one end, the prongs beingelongated in the axial direction of the handle, said prongs forming acage for loosely confining a croquet ball, said device having an openingon each side between the prongs of such size as to permit the encagedball to make contact with an other ball and permit passage of a mallethead to strike the encaged ball, and being adapted to he slipped overthe ball for loosely confining the ball while the ball is struck with amallet.

J OHANNES SORTEBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 143,047 West et al. Sept. 23, 1873 159,193 Logan Jan. 26, 1875168,323 Crandall Oct. 5, 1875 612,965 Gallup Oct. 25, 1898 1,623,284Stoddart Apr. 5, 1927 2,204,482 Filipiak June 11, 1940 2,256,175 SchmidtSept. 16, 1941 2,455,012 King NOV. 30, 1948 2,551,486 Burden May 1, 1951

